We were delighted to award Hoole Community Centre a grant of £1,783.20 to purchase a modern touchscreen till system which has helped make volunteering opportunities more accessible and inclusive for everyone.
Opening in 1987, The Centre continues to serve the local community in various ways, including running a food cupboard, hosting a weekly subsidised lunch for seniors, providing free meal vouchers and running a men’s mental health walk and talk group.
At the centre is a busy café which is largely run by volunteers, with just one paid member of staff on each shift. The café plays an important role in supporting volunteers to develop confidence, communication skills and work experience. In particular, it welcomes neurodivergent volunteers, including individuals referred through organisations such as Cheshire College and The Bren Project.
Typically, each café shift is run by 6 volunteers of which 2 are neurodivergent, with between 24 and 30 volunteers contributing each week.
Before receiving funding, the café relied on an outdated till system which required volunteers to write down customer orders on paper before passing them to the kitchen. This created barriers for some volunteers meaning they were unable to independently take orders.
The new touchscreen till uses clear images and visual prompts, making it much easier for volunteers to identify products and complete transactions. As a result, volunteers can now work independently serving customers, gaining hands-on, full cafe experience in a real working environment. By removing barriers to participation, the new system is helping volunteers develop valuable customer service skills, increasing their independence and building confidence to support future employment opportunities.
A neurodivergent volunteer who is highly capable but struggles with memory recall often found it difficult to remember additional questions for customers, such as bread choices for a sandwich or milk preferences, which the old paper-based system required the volunteers to remember. The new system automatically prompts all menu options, enabling him to serve customers confidently and with dignity as support from colleagues is no longer needed.
Speaking about the impact of the funding, Hoole Community Centre said: “The grant funding has made a genuine difference, not only to how we run our service, but also to the opportunities and confidence it has given our volunteers.”
This grant has increased volunteer participation, leading to greater personal growth, skill development and confidence which will have a lasting impact on both volunteers’ personal and professional lives.
Make sure you pay Hoole Community Centre a visit: https://www.hoolecommunitycentre.org.uk/
If your not-for-profit organisation is seeking funding for project or core costs that, like this piece of equipment, helps those experiencing poverty or disadvantage, read about our grant giving scheme here.
